What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 11.07.94

Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler are in the booth, live from Bushkill, Pennsylvania. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the show drew a crowd of 1,500 fans.

Opening Contest: Bret Hart & the British Bulldog beat Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart when Bret submits Neidhart with the Sharpshooter at 14:13 shown:

The crowd is quiet for the opening action, not getting too worked up when the babyfaces attack the heels during their entrance. The Bulldog has changed his look, going with short bike-like tights that have the colors of the British flag. One novelty of the match is getting to see Bret and Neidhart battle on television for the first time. After some mediocre opening action, the Bulldog is placed in peril, kicking out of Neidhart’s Anvil Flattener powerslam. There is a fun sequence where Owen blocks a hot tag and Bret chases him around the ring, enabling Owen to get back in and finish a Hart Attack on the Bulldog. Bret breaks up the pinfall from that. There is a false tag after a second commercial break but heel miscommunication finally allows Bret to tag in. Neidhart looks lost during the hot tag sequence, standing awkwardly in place several times. Owen knees Bret in the back to put him in peril but the Bulldog trips Owen and pulls him out of the ring when the heels try to double clothesline Bret. Even that looked botched because the Bulldog did not trip Owen the first time that the heels hit the ropes and Neidhart kind of awkwardly collides with Bret when Owen is taken out of the ring. That leaves Bret and Neidhart alone and Bret submits his former tag team partner to blow off their one-on-one program on television. Parts of this were good, having several believable false finishes, but the crowd was not into it and Neidhart looked awful. Rating: ***

McMahon sends well wishes to cameramen who fell in an accident before the show went on the air.

Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Ted DiBiase) (27-5) pins Tyrone Knox after an enzuigiri at 4:37:

Bigelow beat Knox earlier in the year on the July 23 edition of WWF Superstars. McMahon gets a kick out of a fan’s sign that says “Vince for Senate.” Bigelow grabs holds a lot, zoning it in to fill television time. Knox adds some sloppiness by falling down after trying to knock Bigelow off his feet with a clothesline. After what feels like 20 minutes, Bigelow pins Knox after an enzuigiri.

McMahon tells fans that Randy Savage did not come to terms with the WWF for a new contract. He tells Savage that he is his “number one fan” and wishes him the best in his future endeavors. While this sounded sincere, some thought it was McMahon trying to spoil Savage’s eventual arrival in WCW.

The 1-2-3 Kid is on the King’s Court. The Bushkill crowd is tough for Lawler, not reacting to any of his mean-spirited jokes. They barely react to the Kid either. McMahon announces that on next week’s show the Kid will battle Bob Backlund. The Kid tells Backlund not to be looking ahead to Bret Hart at Survivor Series. Backlund tries to ambush the Kid and give him the crossface chicken wing but the Kid sees him coming and kicks him out of the ring. Bret comes out to give the Kid some backup and yells at Backlund as Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart arrive to escort Backlund to the locker room. The British Bulldog also tries to walk to the ring but WWF officials block him.

Doink the Clown (w/Dink, Wink & Pink) (30-3) defeats Pat Tanaka after the Whoopie Cushion at 3:20:

Tanaka, best known to WWF fans as half of the Orient Express, made sporadic appearances for the WWF after getting released in 1992. The previous year he wrestled twice, losing to Marty Jannetty and the 1-2-3 Kid. In 1994 he and longtime partner Paul Diamond went to WCW but did not find success and Tanaka was only getting occasional work there as a glorified enhancement talent.

Dink hands out balloons on Doink’s way to the ring. Tanaka gives Doink problems, working the leg after a dragon screw. Unfortunately, Tanaka forgets what leg he has injured and randomly just starts kicking the leg that is within reach. Doink reverses a whip into the corner to send Tanaka chest-first and follows up with a backdrop suplex and Whoopie Cushion to win. Rating: ½*

McMahon plays with Lawler’s crown at the announce table. Doink grabs it out of his hands, puts it on his head, and puts it on the heads of his little allies. Lawler screams that he is going to make Doink pay at Survivor Series, arguing that a jewel is missing.

Call 1-900-454-WWF8 to vote about whether Bret Hart or Bob Backlund’s submission hold is more effective!

Lawler berates his little people at the announce table for not helping him earlier. McMahon is angry that he would talk to them like that. Dink, Wink & Pink come out for a small standoff with the Royal Family members. Nothing comes of it.

Bret Hart, simulcast from the locker room, says he will back up the 1-2-3 Kid against Bob Backlund next week because Backlund is declaring war on the New Generation and the Kid is the best of the new guys. The fact that Bret would say that about the Kid shows how much he respected his work.

Tune in next week to see the 1-2-3 Kid face Bob Backlund! Jeff Jarrett will be in action too! Also, there will be the debut of Aldo Montoya! And the British Bulldog will appear on the King’s Court!

The Last Word: It would be hard to think that a Monday Night RAW with a three-star match would be dreadful but that is exactly what this episode was. The Bushkill crowd barely reacted to anything. Some of the lifeless in-ring work in the two squash matches did not help either. It will be interesting to see how the 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Backlund match up next week because they wrestle two completely different styles. The WWF is getting a new superstar in Aldo Montoya but the company must have no confidence in him as he is not given any vignettes or a graphic to hype his debut.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for November 12!

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